Antares AMM-1 User manual

©2000 Antares Audio Technologies. All rights reserved.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
All names of microphone manufacturers and microphone model designations
appearing in this manual are used solely to identify the microphones analysed in
the development of our digital models and do not in any way imply any association
with or endorsement by any of the named manufacturers.
Antares Audio Technologies
231 Technology Circle
Scotts Valley, California 95066 USA
voice: [phone]
email: [email protected]
web: www.antarestech.com
Printed in USA Rev 1.1-11/2000

Contents
Welcome 5
Technical Support 6
Introducing the AMM-1 Chapter 1
Overview 7
About the Technology 8
So What Exactly Does It Do? 8
Setting Up Chapter 2 9
Panel Controls and Chapter 3
The Front Panel 10
The Back Panel 13
Operation Chapter 4
Live or Mixdown? 14
Signal Flow 14
Controls 15
Input Section 15
Source Mic Section 16
Modeled Mic Section 21
Preserve Source 25
Tube Saturation 26
Bypass 27
Output Level 28
System Edit 28
Connectors

The Microphone Models Chapter 5
Adding New Mic Models 33
Realistic Expectations Chapter 6 36
Get Creative Chapter 7 40
Appendix 41
Acknowledgments 47
AMM-1 Specifications 48
Index 49

5
Welcome!
On behalf of everyone at Antares Audio Technologies, we’d like to
offer both our thanks and congratulations on your decision to
purchase the AMM-1 Microphone Modeler.
Before you proceed any farther, we’d like to strongly encourage you
to fill out and return the AMM-1 registration card. To make it as
easy as possible, we’ve included a sticker with your serial number
already attached to the card. It’s probably a good idea also to write
it in your manual for future reference.
As an AMM-1 owner, you are entitled to receive notification of any
software upgrades, technical support, and advance announcements
of upcoming products. But we can’t send you stuff unless we know
who and where you are. So please, send that card in.
At Antares, we are committed to excellence in quality, customer
service, and technological innovation. With your purchase of the
AMM-1, you have created a relationship with Antares which we
hope will be long and gratifying. Let us know what you think.
You can count on us to listen.
Again, thanks.
The Whole Antares Crew

6
Technical Support
In the unlikely event that you experience a problem using your
AMM-1, try the following:
1. Make another quick scan through this manual. Who knows? You
may have stumbled onto some feature that you didn’t notice the
first time through.
2. Check our web page for tips, techniques, or any late-breaking
information: www.antarestech.com
3. Call your local Antares dealer.
4. Call us at [phone] Monday through Friday between 9am
and 5pm USA Pacific Standard Time.
5. Email us at: [email protected]
For options 3, 4 and 5, please be prepared to provide the serial
number of your AMM-1.

7
Chapter 1: Introducing the AMM-1
Overview
If you’ve spent any time lately flipping through the pages of pro
audio magazines, you have almost certainly noticed the intense
focus on microphones. From the proliferation of exotic new mics to
the almost cult-like following of certain historical classics, never has
the choice been greater. But amassing a substantial collection of
high-end mics is financially prohibitive for all but the most well-
heeled studios.
Enter the Antares AMM-1.
Using our patented Spectral Shaping Tool™ technology, we’ve
created digital models of a wide variety of microphones, from
historical classics to modern exotics, as well as a selection of
industry-standard workhorses. Simply tell the AMM-1 what
microphone you are actually using and what microphone you’d
like it to sound like. It’s as simple as that.
With the AMM-1, you can afford to record each track through a
model of the specific mic that will best produce that ideal sound
you’re looking for. Or use it in live performance to get the sound
of mics you’d never consider using on stage. You can even use it
during mixdown to effectively change the mic on an already
recorded track.
Not only do the models reproduce the sonic characteristics that
make each microphone unique, but they also give you control
of each mic’s specific options. Does the mic have a low cut filter?
If so, it’s in the model. Wind screen on or off? Close or far place-
ment? Each option results in the same sonic effect that it would
have with the actual modeled mic. And for that final touch of
perfection, you can even add some tasty tube saturation.
And with the ability to download new models from our web
site, the AMM-1 will always keep you at the forefront of the
microphone art.

8
About The Technology
The models employed by the AMM-1 are not derived from theoreti-
cal considerations. They are generated by a proprietary analysis
process that is applied to each physical mic modeled. Not only the
sonic characteristics, but the behavior of other parameters such as
low-cut filters or proximity effects accurately reflect the specific
performance of each individual microphone we model. The preci-
sion of these models allows the AMM-1 to reproduce even the
subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) sonic variations that one often
finds in different samples of the same model of microphone. Conse-
quently, for some important mics, we’ve provided multiple models,
each based on measurements taken from individual mics.
Another advantage of our model-based approach is that there is
essentially no processing delay apart from the natural phase effects
of the microphones being modeled.
Finally, the quality and signal-to-noise characteristics of the process-
ing are pristine. Because of our commitment to model-based pro-
cessing, there are none of the limitations or distortions characteristic
of FFT-based algorithms. The quality of the output is limited only by
the quality of the input.
So What Exactly Does It Do?
While there is a lot of fairly complicated stuff going on under the
hood, the essential functionality of the AMM-1 is really quite simple.
Basically, audio originally recorded by a microphone is input to the
AMM-1 where it is first processed by a “Source Model” which serves
to neutralize the known characteristics of the input mic. The audio is
then processed by a second “Modeled Mic” model which imposes
the characteristics of the modeled mic onto the previously neutral-
ized signal. Finally, the audio is passed through a model of a high-
quality tube preamp offering the option of classic tube saturation
distortion.

9
Chapter 2:
Setting Up the AMM-1
Setting up the AMM-1 is very straightforward.
1. Find a suitable location. The AMM-1 is designed to be mounted
in a standard 19-inch equipment rack.
2. Confirm that the included power supply is correct for the elec-
tricity in your part of the world. If you are not sure, or the
power supply has a plug that is incompatible with your wall
sockets, contact your local Antares dealer for help.
Important! Do not attempt to modify the supply or use any
other supply that is not specifically intended for the AMM-1.
3. First, connect the power supply’s 7-pin DIN connector to the AC
INPUT jack on the rear of the AMM-1. Then plug the power
supply into an AC outlet.
4. Connect a balanced or unbalanced audio input to one of the
INPUT jacks or a digital input to the AES/EBU digital input
connector. (see Chapter 3 for details).
5. Connect a cable to one of the Analog OUTPUT jacks or the AES/
EBU digital output connector and route the output as appropri-
ate for your application.
6. If you will be controlling your AMM-1 via MIDI or downloading
new mic models via Standard MIDI Files, connect a MIDI cable
from your MIDI source to the ATR-1’s MIDI IN jack.
An Important Note About Grounding: The AMM-1 is an ex-
tremely quiet piece of gear. When properly connected and
grounded, analog noise and hum will be inaudible. However, as
you’re no doubt well aware, every studio has its own unique
quirks when it comes to connections, grounding and noise. For
the absolute best sonic performance, ensure that your analog
input and output are fully balanced.

10
Chapter 3:
Panel Controls and Connectors
The Front Panel
1 Power Switch As will be immediately obvious, pushing this
button in turns on your AMM-1. It will be left as a exercise for
the user to discover how to turn it off.
2 D-in LED This LED lights to indicate the presence of a valid
digital input at the AES/EBU input connector
3 Input Level Adjusts the digital level of the audio. Used in combi-
nation with the Level Meter LEDs to set the optimum input level
without clipping. Turning this knob temporarily displays the
input level in dBs on the LCD.
4 Input Level Meter These five LEDs light to indicate the level of
the audio as it is being processed by both the Source and Mod-
eled mic models. Ideally, you should adjust the input to the
highest level that does not consistently cause the top red LED to
light. (The red LED lights at a level of -3dB. Digital clipping,
which introduces a particularly nasty-sounding distortion, will
occur if the input exceeds 0dB.)
5 Edit Select Button Press this button to select either the Source
Mic or Modeled Mic for editing. The associated LED lights to
indicate the current selection.
6 Preserve Source Buttons Pressing the Treble or Bass Preserve
Source button causes the selected frequency range of of the
input signal to be passed through the AMM-1 without process-
ing (preserving the sound of your source mic in that range). The
associated LEDs light to indicate this state.
7 LCD An easy-to-read 20 character by 2 line display. You can set
the optimum viewing angle in the System menu (See Chapter 4).
8 Data Entry Knob As its name implies, turn it to enter data.

11
AMM-1 Front Panel
9 Microphone/Cursor Button In normal operation mode, pressing
this button allows you to select your desired source or modeled
mic. In System Edit Mode, this button lets you move the cursor in
the LCD display from field to field so that you can change each
field’s value using the Data Entry knob.
10 Proximity/Page Button In normal operation mode, pressing this
button allows you to control the proximity effect of the source
or modeled mic. When in System Edit Mode, press this button to
cycle sequentially through the available edit pages. You can only
move in one direction, but there are so few pages in System
mode that you are never more than a few presses away from
where you want to be.
11 Low Cut/Enter Button In normal operation mode, pressing this
button allows you to select any available low cut filters for the
source or modeled mic. When in System Edit Mode, press this
button to confirm certain operations.
12 Pattern Button In normal operation mode, pressing this button
allows you to select any available response patterns for the
source or modeled mic.
13 Tube Saturation Drive This knob (in combination with the Input
Level) controls the amount of tube saturation distortion that is
applied to your signal. Turning this knob temporarily displays
the drive level in dBs on the LCD.
14 System Button Press this button to set various parameters that
affect the AMM-1’s overall functionality (input format, new
model download, LCD contrast, etc.) The accompanying LED
lights to remind you that you are in System Edit Mode. When
the LED is lit, press the SYSTEM button again to exit the System
Edit Mode.
1 3 13 147
2 4 5 6 8 9 10 11 12 15 16

12
AMM-1 Front Panel
15 Bypass Button Press the Bypass button to pass audio through
the AMM-1 without any processing. The AMM-1 can also be
placed into Bypass Mode via a footswitch or by MIDI. The accom-
panying LED lights to remind you that you are in Bypass Mode,
whether the mode was initiated by the Bypass button, the foot
switch, or MIDI.
16 Output Level Sets the output level of the processed audio. This
control provides attenuation only; no gain is available. Turning
this knob temporarily displays the output attenuation in dBs on
the LCD.

13
AMM-1 Back Panels
The Back Panel
1 Balanced Line Inputs Inputs can be 1/4-inch TRS (tip-ring-sleeve)
Phone, 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) Phone or female XLR.
Note: The XLR input is NOT a microphone input. A line level
signal is required.
Also Note: If you use a 1/4-inch TS plug, the input will of course
not be balanced.
Yet Another Note: The two inputs will not mix two signals.
Plugging in a phone plug will disconnect the XLR input.
2 Line Outputs Outputs can be 1/4-inch TS (tip-sleeve) Phone
Unbalanced or male XLR Balanced.
3 AES/EBU Digital Input Connect an AES/EBU digital input
signal here.
4 AES/EBU Digital Output Provides AES/EBU digital output
regardless of the input format selection.
5 MIDI In Connect the MIDI Out from a MIDI sequencer, or other
MIDI source in here.
6 MIDI Out Not currently used.
7 Bypass Foot Switch Plug in a foot switch here. A 1/4-inch TS
(tip-sleeve) plug is required. There are two varieties of foot
switch: those that are shorted by default and those that are
open by default. You should plug in your foot switch and then
power on the AMM-1. The AMM-1 will detect which kind of
foot switch you have and behave accordingly.
8 AC Power Input Plug the 7-pin DIN connector from the included
power supply in here. Do NOT use a supply which is not ex-
pressly intended for the AMM-1 (even if you could find one
with that weird plug on it). Bad things could happen.
3 4 5 6 7 81 2

14
Chapter 4: Operation
Live or Mixdown?
The AMM-1 functions equally well processing audio during its
original performance or later during the mixdown process. However,
if you have the choice (which you typically will for everything but a
live stage performance), we strongly recommend using the AMM-1
as an insert effect during mixdown. This will allow you to experi-
ment with mic choice and various mic settings while auditioning
their effect in the context of the entire mix.
If you do chose to work this way, it is important that you carefully
document all mic data for each recorded track. This should include
the mic used, any settings such as low-cut filter and/or response
pattern selected, as well as the average distance between the mic
and the signal source (singer, instrument, etc.). This information will
be required to properly set the Source Mic controls during the mix.
Signal Flow
The AMM-1 is divided into a number of discreet functional blocks as
follows (in the order of signal flow):
Input
For setting the input level of the audio to be processed
Source Mic
For indicating the mic (and the state of its various parameters) that
was actually used to record the audio.
Modeled Mic
For selecting the mic (and the state of its various parameters) whose
sound you would like to model.
Tube Saturation
For adding a model of analog tube saturation distortion.

15
Controls: Input Section
Output
For setting the output level of the processed audio.
The use of each of the individual controls is covered below.
Controls
Input Section
The Input Level knob adjusts the digital level of the audio. Turning
the Input Level knob will temporarily display the Input Level value
on the LCD:
Input gain (dB)
+11.3
In most instances, you should start with the Input Level set to 0dB. If
you are using an analog input, use your mixer to adjust the level of
the input signal such that it doesn’t cause the -3dB LED of the Level
Meter to light consistently.
The Level Meter displays the level of the audio as it is being pro-
cessed by both the Source and Modeled mic models. Because some
models (or combinations of models) can result in increased ampli-
tude at various frequencies, changing to a different mic model or
changing a model’s settings may require an adjustment of the Input
Level to avoid clipping.
If you are using a digital input, you should, again, start with the
Input Level set to 0dB. You should typically only increase the Input
Level for the purpose of increasing the range of Tube Saturation
(see below) or decrease the Input Level setting if the combination of
models results in digital clipping. Increasing the Input Level, simply
to get the highest Level Meter reading without clipping, will NOT
result in the increased dynamic range that would result from such
an analog adjustment.

16
Controls: Source Mic Section
Source Mic Section
Press the Edit Select button until the Source LED is lit. This puts the
AMM-1 in Source Mic Edit Mode and allows you to specify the mic
and the settings that were (or will be) used to capture the input
sound. The purpose of these selections is to remove the effect of the
source microphone, resulting in the signal that would have been
recorded by an ideal instrumentation microphone with no proximity
effect.
Source Mic Selection
Src:aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
x y:bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb
Pressing the Microphone button while in Source Edit mode brings
up the Source Select screen and allows you to use the Data Knob to
select your source mic. Repeatedly pressing the Microphone button
moves the cursor between the three editable fields:
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa Manufacturer Name
bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb Microphone Name
xA/B Compare
In addition, if the currently selected mic is stored in FLASH
memory (as opposed to EPROM), the y field will contain an “*”
to indicate that the model is capable of being deleted (see the
System Edit section for more details). Otherwise it will be blank.
When you first press the Microphone button, the cursor will appear
in the Manufacturer Name field and turning the Data Knob will
scroll through all of the available manufacturers. As each manufac-
turer is selected, the Microphone Name field will display the first
listed mic from that manufacturer.
Pressing the Microphone button a second time will place the cursor
in the Microphone Name field and allow you to use the Data Knob
to select the specific mic of your choice.
Note: Once the cursor is in the Microphone Name field, you may
continue turning the Data Knob to scroll through all of the mics
in the list. Mics are listed alphabetically by manufacturer name.

17
Source Mic Selection
In some cases a mic will have a second listing with “-w”appended to
the mic’s name. This indicates that the mic we modeled was supplied
with a windscreen and this is the model of the mic with the
windscreen attached. If your audio was captured using the
windscreen, you should select this version of the model.
Some mic names will have as a suffix “(m1)”or “(m2).”This indi-
cates different examples of the same model of mic, often with some
variation or custom modification of the basic model.
Additionally, the list offers a selection called “Bypass.”When Bypass
is selected, the source signal is passed unmodified to the Modeled
Mic section. You should select Bypass when your source was not
recorded with a microphone (e.g., guitar via direct box, direct synth
input, etc.).
If your desired mic is not listed in the menu (nor available as an
additional model on our web site), you can try one of the following
(in order of preference):
1 Use a different mic that is listed —this is, of course, only an
option if you’ve not yet recorded the audio and do, in fact, have
another listed mic.
2 Select another mic on the list whose characteristics are known to
be similar to your mic (a similar model from the same manufac-
turer, for example).
3 Select another mic of the same general type as your mic, e.g.,
dynamic, large diaphragm condenser, etc.
4 Select Bypass from the menu
It must be stressed that selecting option 2, 3 or, especially, 4, will
compromise the AMM-1’s ability to accurately reproduce the sound
of the desired modeled mic. That’s not to say that you won’t be able
to get something that sounds great, just that it’s unlikely to be an
accurate simulation of whatever mic you chose in the Modeled Mic
section.
In particular, if you choose Bypass as the Source Mic and any mic as
the Modeled Mic, the resulting effect is equivalent to having re-
corded the audio with the actual physical mic (which you, of course,
did) and then having played back that track through a perfect set of
speakers and rerecorded it with the Modeled Mic. Again, maybe a
great sounding creative effect, but not an accurate representation
of the Modeled Mic.

18
A/B Comparison/Proximity
Note: If we don’t have a model of your mic and you really, really
want to use it as a source mic, you might consider giving us a
call and seeing if we’re interested in modeling it. If so, you’d
have to be willing to send it to us and have it out of your
possession for about 5 working days.
A/B Comparison
Pressing the Microphone button a third time will move the cursor
from the Microphone Name field to the A/B Compare field. This
function is used to instantaneously compare the effects of two
different Source Mic selections.
Begin by turning the Data Knob until “A”appears in the field (if it
doesn’t already). Now move the cursor to the Manufacturer or
Microphone Name field as desired and select the first mic to com-
pare. Move the cursor back to the A/B Compare field and turn the
Data Knob to display “B”and then once again move the cursor to
select the second mic you wish to compare. Finally, move the cursor
back to the Compare field and turn the Data Knob to switch back
and forth between the two mics while listening to your audio.
Note: The A/B Compare function switches not only the selected
mics, but their associated Proximity, Low Cut, and Pattern
settings as well. To take advantage of this, select the “A”mic
and set the Proximity, Low Cut, and Pattern as described below.
Then return to the Microphone Selection screen and use the
Compare field to select the “B”mic and then set its Proximity,
Low Cut, and Pattern. Finally, return to the Microphone Selec-
tion screen again, move the cursor back to the Compare field
and turn the Data Knob to switch back and forth between the
two mics (and their respective settings) while listening to your
audio.
Proximity
Pressing the Proximity button while in Source Mic Edit mode will
display something like this:
Source Proximity
6.50 inc es
and allow you to use the Data Knob to set the average distance that
separated the the mic and the signal source during the recording of
the audio.

19
Source Mic Edit: Low-Cut Menu
The purpose of this control is to allow the model to remove any
Proximity Effect that may have been introduced by the source mic.
Note: Proximity Effect is a boost in bass frequencies resulting
from placing a directional mic in close proximity to a signal
source. The amount of the effect varies from mic to mic, and is
inversely proportional to the distance from the mic to the source
(i.e., the smaller the distance, the greater the bass boost).
Mics operating in omnidirectional mode do not exhibit a proximity
effect. Consequently, if the source mic is an omni mic, or the source
mic has selectable patterns and omni is chosen, the Proximity will
default to “no proximity effect.”
Note: Like the Low-Cut control described below, the Source Mic
Proximity control may initially seem to be working backwards
(i.e., setting a shorter distance will result in an audible bass
attenuation). Refer to the explanation down in the Low-Cut
section to understand why this is actually how it is supposed to
work.
Also note that the effect of the Proximity control is unique for each
model of microphone. The AMM-1 does not use a generalized
approximation of proximity effect. Each model reflects the specific
physical properties that create the proximity effect for that indi-
vidual mic.
Low-Cut Menu
Pressing the Low Cut button while in Source Mic Edit mode will
display something like this:
Source LowCut
80 Hz
If the mic you select as the Source Mic is equipped with a user-
selectable low-cut filter, pressing the Low-Cut button will allow you
to use the Data Knob to select from among the actual filter settings
available on that mic. (If the selected mic does not have a low-cut
filter, the display will default to “none.”.)
If the source mic does include a low-cut filter, select the low-cut
setting that was (or will be) used when capturing your audio.

20
Controls: Pattern
Note: It is important to keep in mind that the purpose of this
setting is to “undo”the effect of any low-cut filter that was
used to capture your audio. If you play around with this setting,
you may initially think that it working “backwards.”That is,
changing the menu selection from OFF to any filter setting will
actually cause a bass boost in the monitored audio.
However, once you think about it, you will realize that this is the
way it’s supposed to work. The purpose of all the controls in the
Source Mic section is to neutralize the effects of the source mic.
So, when you select a low-cut filter, you’re telling the AMM-1
that the source mic recorded the audio with that much bass
attenuation and, therefore, the model must now boost the bass
an equal amount to remove the source mic’s sonic coloration.
(Trust us, this fried our brains a bit at first, too.)
Pattern
Pressing the Pattern button while in Source Mic Edit mode will
display something like this:
Source Pattern
Cardioid
If the mic you select as the Source Mic menu is equipped with user-
selectable pick-up patterns (i.e., omni, cardioid, hypercardioid, etc.),
pressing the Pattern button will allow you to use the Data Knob to
select from the actual pattern settings available on that mic. (If the
source mic does not have selectable patterns, the display will default
to “none.”)
If the source mic does include multiple patterns, select the pattern
that was (or will be) used when capturing your audio.
Note: The purpose of the Pattern selection is to neutralize the
varying frequency characteristics that result from each of the
available pattern settings, with the assumption that the audio
was recorded on axis (i.e., from the front of the microphone).
Since the AMM-1 has no way of knowing the actual placement
of the signal source, it does not attempt to simulate off-axis
performance.